Betting On the War

People place bets everyday, they bet on card games, sporting events, and even which number this little ball will land on when the wheel stops.

But what about placing bets on America's pending war with Iraq? That too is now making some a lot of money. It's the latest trend in Web site betting. Sites like betonsports.com have gotten thousands of hits with people wagering on how long the war will last or what will become of Saddam Hussein after the war.

But is this type of gambling legal? An excerpt from gigalaw.com states: “Although the sites may be based in countries betting is legal, it's not necessarily legal for someone in the U.S. to place bets.”

The house judiciary committee approved the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act in 2000. That bill would outlaw most Internet gambling with fines of $20,000 and up. The bill went on to the house, but never passed.

What do the families of those sent off to protect our country from terrorism think about all of this? They say they are outraged that they are trying to make money off their son or daughter risking their life for our freedom.

Is on-line gambling immoral? There’s no concrete answer. But one thing is certain, while America's young and brave men and women are headed off to defend our countries freedom, others will be exercising their freedom to bet.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.